Publication date
12/15/13
Volume
34
Number
24
The WatchTower
1913--Annual Report--1913
/../literature/watchtower/1913/24/1913-24-1.html
 
 
 
 
DECEMBER 
I, 
1913 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
To 
decide 
the 
matter 
we 
suggest 
that 
Bible 
study 
class 
which 
has 
been 
following 
the 
usual 
style 
of 
studying 
chap­ 
ter 
be 
brought 
in 
contest 
with 
class 
which 
has 
been 
using 
our 
first 
described 
method 
of 
Berean 
Bible 
study. 
Let 
the 
two 
classes 
take 
up 
any 
Bible 
topic 
that 
may 
be 
suggested; 
and 
it 
will 
soon 
be 
ascertained 
that 
those 
who 
have 
been 
fol­ 
lowing 
our 
Berean 
Bible 
study 
plan 
know 
ten 
or 
twenty 
times 
as 
much 
about 
the 
Bible 
on 
every 
subject. 
These 
S'l'TIDlES 
IN 
THE 
SCRIPTURES 
have 
not 
sought 
to 
follow 
any 
human 
creed 
or 
theory, 
but 
merely 
to 
bring 
together 
the 
various 
Scriptures 
on 
subject 
and 
to 
find 
the 
harmonious 
view 
reflected 
from 
these 
various 
passages. 
The 
method 
has 
proved 
itself 
so 
satisfactory 
to 
those 
who 
have 
tried 
it, 
that 
they 
would 
not 
now 
think 
of 
using 
any 
other 
method 
of 
Bible 
study, 
considering 
that 
all 
other 
methods 
are 
of 
little 
value 
in 
comparison. 
Nevertheless, 
the 
matter 
is 
purely 
for 
the 
in­ 
dividual 
or 
the 
class 
to 
determine 
which 
is 
for 
its 
own 
best 
interests, 
which 
will 
serve 
its 
purpose 
bpst. 
DEDICATION 
OF 
"THE 
TEMPLE"-NEW 
YORK 
CITY 
The 
Contractors 
promise 
to 
have" 
The 
Temple" 
ready 
for 
our 
use 
on 
Sunday, 
December 
7. 
The 
services 
for 
the 
open­ 
ing 
day 
will 
be 
little 
out 
of 
the 
ordinary. 
So 
far 
as 
the 
building 
is 
eoncel'lled 
it 
will 
be 
Dedication 
Day. 
As 
respects 
the 
Congregation 
it 
"ill 
be 
Thanksgiving 
Sunday. 
The 
pro­ 
gram 
will 
include 
the 
entire 
day. 
The 
opening 
service 
will 
be 
at 
10: 
30 
a. 
m. 
The 
Pastor, 
Brothel' 
Russell, 
will 
give 
the 
address. 
At 
p. 
m. 
there 
will 
be 
Symposium 
in 
which 
several 
Brethren 
of 
the 
Peoples 
Pulpit 
Association 
will 
participate, 
the 
topic 
being 
"Thankfulness." 
Its 
various 
phases 
will 
be 
considered. 
At 
p. 
Ill. 
thore 
will 
be 
general 
Praise 
and 
Testimony 
Meeting. 
At 
p. 
m. 
the 
Pastor, 
Brother 
Russell, 
will 
give 
an 
address, 
closing 
what, 
we 
trust, 
will 
be 
very 
pleasant 
and 
very 
protit· 
able 
day 
of 
spiritual 
refreshment. 
As 
it 
is 
anticipated 
that 
numbers 
of 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWEl( 
readers 
will 
want 
to 
be 
present 
at 
these 
services, 
coming 
from 
surrounding 
cities 
and 
villages, 
it 
is 
proposed 
that 
no 
public 
advertising 
be 
done, 
so 
that 
we 
may 
have 
plenty 
of 
room 
for 
comfort 
and 
fellowship. 
Of 
course, 
the 
Brooklyn 
Tabernacle 
will 
be 
closed 
for 
the 
entire 
day. 
All 
WATCH 
TOWElt 
readers 
and 
their 
interested 
friends 
are 
cordially 
invited 
to 
this 
house-\varming. 
"Seats 
free 
amI 
no 
collection. 
YUL. 
XXXI\' 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y., 
DECEMBER 
15, 
1913 
No. 
24 
OUR 
CORRESPONDENCE 
DEPARTMENT 
With 
literature 
in 
thirty 
diff"rent 
languages, 
,li~trilJllt.',l 
in 
large 
quantities, 
it 
is 
not 
surprising 
that 
\\e 
haH~ 
larg,· 
rorrespondence. 
Our 
Brooklyn 
oillcp 
keel'S 
thirty 
tY]l"writl'rs 
busy, 
besides 
our 
multigra 
ph 
machines. 
'rota] 
letters 
receive'] 
Ilming 
the 
)'e:11' 
184,fI:2;"i 
Total 
numbpr 
of 
letters 
dispatched 
rluring 
the 
year 
481,521 
These 
figures 
do 
not 
represent 
the 
concspondpnce 
of 
the 
v~.rious 
branclt"S. 
More 
and 
more 
the 
dear 
frier,rls 
are 
learn· 
1913-ANNUAL 
REPORT-1913 
WATCH 
TOWER 
BIBLE 
AND 
TRACT 
SOCIETY 
DECEMBER 
1, 
1912-DECEMBER 
1, 
1913. 
To 
perlllit 
the 
hnlaneing 
of 
our 
accounts 
and 
the 
rendering 
of 
shall 
also 
reign 
with 
him." 
And 
if 
our 
snfferings 
be 
the 
them 
before 
the 
first 
of 
the 
year, 
it 
is 
our 
custom 
to 
start 
way 
by 
which 
the 
Lord 
woul([ 
attract 
aml 
bless 
others 
of 
his 
each 
financial 
veal' 
on 
December 
1st. 
The 
sum 
total 
of 
the 
true 
sheep, 
we 
may 
surely, 
with 
the 
Apostle 
Paul, 
"glory 
in 
work 
reported 
year 
ago 
was 
so 
large 
for 
us 
that 
we 
doubted 
tribulations 
also. 
"-Romans 
:3. 
if 
it 
\vould 
not 
be 
om 
banner 
year. 
Additionally, 
the 
threats 
CLASS 
EXTENSION 
WORK 
of 
our 
enemies 
'\Vere 
heard 
on 
every 
hand. 
They 
boasted 
that 
One 
of 
the 
most 
eneouraging 
fe:>tures 
of 
the 
work 
is 
tlll' 
before 
another 
year 
our 
Sodety's 
work 
would 
be 
stopped. 
zeal 
manifested 
in 
various 
quarters 
in 
the 
Class 
Extension 
'rhe 
basis 
of 
this 
threat 
was 
their 
intended 
and 
already 
Work. 
Hundreds 
of 
deal' 
hrethren, 
backed 
by 
the 
classes 
started 
campaign 
of 
slander, 
abuse, 
misrepresentation-any- 
with 
which 
they 
are 
associate<l, 
have 
gor.e 
forth 
as 
evangel- 
thing 
to 
stop 
us. 
In 
closing 
our 
last 
year's 
Report 
we 
said: 
ists. 
They 
have 
held 
meeting's 
in 
cities, 
towns 
and 
villages 
"Let 
us 
not 
be 
fearful 
of 
the 
great 
adn'rsary's 
roar, 
when 
in 
the 
vidnity 
of 
the 
elass 
home. 
'rhey 
have 
broken 
,goo<l 
like 
roaring 
lion 
he 
\yould 
seck 
to 
intimidate 
us. 
'Be 
of 
deal 
of 
new 
ground 
in 
this 
way, 
have 
correete<l 
misapprehell' 
gooll 
cOl1l'a~te, 
an<l 
the 
Lord 
shall 
strengthen 
thine 
heart.' 
sion 
in 
respect 
to 
our 
Gospel 
message, 
niHI 
hal'e 
hrought 
COil' 
'Without 
judging' 
the 
majority 
of 
the 
ministers 
of 
Christ 
si<lerable 
number 
to 
full 
consecration 
to 
the 
Lord 
and 
to 
great 
of 
vnrious 
rlenominations 
,,-e 
may 
surely 
say 
that 
the 
experi- 
joy 
and 
blessing 
in 
the 
kno\\"lerlge 
of 
the 
truth. 
e!lees 
of 
the 
p~,st 
year 
have 
abundantly 
demonstrated 
that 
It 
is 
now 
two 
ypars 
since 
this 
work 
startf'd; 
an<l 
this 
veal'. 
some 
very 
mean 
men 
are 
wearing 
the 
livery 
of 
heaven, 
pro- 
for 
your 
encouragement, 
we 
must 
g'ive 
some 
figures 
.. 
The 
fcssin~' 
to 
to 
be 
the 
mouthpieces 
of 
the 
Lord 
Jesus 
Cllrist. 
friends 
in 
thirty 
states 
have 
joined 
in 
this 
work. 
The 
awl" 
Our 
kindest 
thoug'ht 
resreding 
them 
is 
that 
the 
great 
adver- 
age 
number 
of 
speakers 
per 
month 
throughout 
the 
tln,l\'p 
sary 
is 
blinding' 
them, 
much 
as 
he 
did 
the 
great 
Saul 
of 
Tar- 
months 
was 
105; 
3,050 
meetings 
were 
reported, 
with 
an 
at- 
sus. 
An<l 
our 
hope 
for 
them 
is 
that, 
like 
Saul, 
they 
will 
ere 
teunanee 
of 
91,881. 
The 
cost 
of 
these 
mediugs 
as 
rPlwl'te<l 
long 
be 
smitten 
down 
by 
great 
light 
from 
heaven, 
and 
hear 
by 
the 
classes 
was 
$8,546.61. 
This 
amount 
<loes 
not 
appeal' 
in 
their 
eonsciences 
voice 
saying, 
"I 
am 
Jesus, 
whom 
thou 
in 
our 
Report, 
except 
about 
per 
cent. 
'l'he 
cInsses 
rejoi,'p,] 
persecutest"; 
and 
that 
then 
some 
of 
these 
rabid 
foes 
of 
the 
in 
the 
privilege 
of 
financing 
their 
meetings, 
and 
only 
in 
few 
truth 
may 
become 
its 
staunch 
sprvants. 
instances 
was 
the 
Society's 
help 
JH·eded. 
Of 
course, 
the 
So- 
OUR 
MOST 
SUCCESSFUL 
YEAR 
ciety 
furnished 
the 
litprature 
used 
at 
these 
meetings, 
whieh 
We 
:11'e 
sure 
that 
our 
readers 
are 
awaiting 
this 
report 
with 
with 
freight 
awl 
expressage 
was 
no 
small 
item. 
keen 
interest. 
Wonderful 
as 
it 
may 
seem, 
it 
is 
our 
privilege 
We 
trust 
that 
this 
noble 
work 
will 
go 
on, 
and 
that 
tlle 
to 
report 
that 
the 
past 
year 
has 
been 
in 
every 
way 
our 
most 
Lord's 
blessing 
will 
continue 
with 
it. 
We 
sometimes 
tpl'm 
successful 
one. 
The 
more 
the 
Lord 
permitted 
our 
enemies 
to 
it 
the 
"Layman's 
Home 
Missionary 
Movement." 
vVe 
oh- 
assail 
us, 
the 
more 
did 
he 
strengthen 
anrl 
comfort 
our 
hearts 
serve 
that 
the 
rlasses 
participating' 
in 
this 
,\'ork 
most 
vig" 
with 
evidences 
of 
his 
favor. 
He 
demonstrated 
that 
he 
who 
is 
on 
orously 
arc 
usually 
the 
most 
blessed 
of 
the 
Lord 
spiritually, 
our 
part 
is 
mightier 
than 
all 
that 
be 
against 
us. 
as 
well 
as 
numerirally. 
And 
l111doul>tellly 
all 
who 
thus 
se1'\'e 
Tl\(leed, 
we 
have 
had 
vnrious 
evidences 
that 
the 
vicious 
attack 
as 
evangelists 
receive 
great 
blessing' 
in 
their 
hearts 
froll! 
of 
certain 
ministers 
hns 
hall 
an 
effect 
the 
very 
reverse 
of 
the 
Lord. 
In 
the 
interests 
of 
those 
clnsses 
that 
feel 
th:lt 
what 
tlJPy 
intl'udell. 
Thp 
l'uhlic 
have 
seen 
the 
anversary's 
rppetition 
of 
the 
Class 
Extension 
Work 
would 
not 
be 
wise, 
spirit 
manifested: 
anI! 
pyen 
worldly 
people 
know 
the 
difference 
or 
that 
feel 
that 
thpy 
have 
speakers 
or 
finam,ial 
strl'ngth 
hetwPl'Il 
the 
Spirit 
of 
Christ-the 
spirit 
of 
meekness, 
the 
spirit 
which 
thl'Y 
ran 
furnish 
for 
Sunday 
\york 
at 
greatl'I' 
,list:llH'es 
of 
love-and 
the 
rontrnry 
spirit 
of 
Rat:m-the 
spirit 
of 
malice, 
from 
their 
homes, 
we 
ha\'e 
recently 
proposell 
an 
"Auxili:11'Y 
hatrfld, 
envy, 
evil-speaking, 
strife. 
If 
God 
sees 
best 
to 
awaken 
Pillu·im 
Serviee." 
We 
trust 
that 
this 
may 
prove 
ll!e:tllS 
some 
of 
his 
childrpn 
to 
thought 
hy 
the 
wolfish 
growling 
of 
some 
of 
blessing 
and 
fmtherance 
of 
the 
work 
Ilnring 
the 
year 
.inst 
who 
pose 
as 
representath'es 
of 
the 
Great 
Shephenl, 
it 
is 
not 
for 
hpgun. 
us 
to 
question 
the 
lEvine 
wisllom, 
hut 
to 
s:ty 
with 
the 
Mastel', 
"The 
cup 
which 
my 
Father 
hath 
pomed, 
shall 
not 
drink 
it 
~" 
Nor 
is 
the 
Editor 
alone 
in 
these 
expprienres. 
While 
he 
is 
the 
rllief 
target, 
n1l 
identified 
with 
the 
work 
in 
publip 
way 
are 
also 
marks 
for 
those 
rle~cribed 
hv 
the 
Psalmist: 
"The 
wickerl 
... 
shoot 
thei 
arrows, 
eyon 
'hitter 
words, 
that 
they 
may 
shoot 
in 
serret 
at 
the 
perfert." 
(Psalm 
64: 
3, 
4) 
Smely 
we 
may 
all 
rl'joice 
in 
the 
privilege 
granterl 
us 
of 
sharing 
in 
the 
sufferings 
of 
Christ. 
"For 
if 
we 
suffer 
with 
him, 
we 
[536!») 
THE DECEMBER 1, 1913 To decide the matter we suggest that a Bible study class which has been following the usual style of studying a chapter be brought in contest with a elass which has been using our first described method of Berean Bible study. Let the two classes take up any Bible topic that may be suggested; and it will soon be ascertained that those who have been following our Berean Bible study plan know ten or twenty times as much about the Bible on every subject. These STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES have not sought to follow WATCH TOWER (359-371) any human creed or theory, but merely to bring together the various Scriptures on a subject and to find the harmonious view reflected from these various passages. The method has proved itself so satisfactory to those who have tried it, that they would not now think of using any other method of Bible study, considering that all other methods are of little value in comparison. Nevertheless, the matter is purely for the individual or the class to determine which is for its own best interests, which will serve its purpose best. DEDICATION OF “THE TEMPLE”—NEW YORK CITY The Contractors promise to have ‘‘The Temple’’ ready for our use on Sunday, December 7. The services for the opening day will be a ‘little out of the ordinary. So far as the building is concerned it will be Dedication Day. As respects the Congregation it will be Thanksgiving Sunday. The program will include the entire day. The opening service will be at 10:30 a. m. The Pastor, Brother Russell, will give the address. At 2 p. m. there will be a Symposium in which several Brethren of the Peoples Pulpit Association will participate, the topic being ‘‘Thankfulness.’’ Its various phases will be Mecting. At 8 p. m. the Pastor, Brother Russell, will give an address, closing what, we trust, will be a very pleasant and very profitable day of spiritual refreshment. As it is anticipated that numbers of THr WatcH TOWER readers will want to be present at these services, coming from surrounding cities and villages, it is proposed that no publie advertising be done, so that we may have plenty of room for comfort and fellowship. Of course, the Brooklyn Tabernacle will be closed for the entire day. All WartcH Tower readers and their interested friends are considered. cordially invited to this house-warming. ‘‘Seats free and no At 4 p.m, there will be a general Praise and Testimony collection.’’ Von. AXAIV BROOKLYN, N. Y., DECEMBER 15, 1918 No. 24 1913—ANNUAL REPORT—1913 WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY DECEMBER 1, 1912—DECEMBER 1, 1913. To permit the balancing of our aecounts and the rendering of them before the first of the year, it is our custom to start each financial year on Deeember Ist. The sum total of the work reported a year ago was so large for us that we doubted if it would not be our banner year. Additionally, the threats of our enemies were heard on every hand. They boasted that before another year our Society’s work would be stopped. The basis of this threat was their intended and already started campaign of slander, abuse, misrepresentation—anything fo stop us. In closing our last year’s Report we said: “‘Let us not be fearful of the great adversary’s roar, when like a roaring lion he would seck to intimidate us. ‘Be of good courage, and the Lord shall strengthen thine heart.’ ’’ Without judging the majority of the ministers of Christ of various denominations we may surely say that the experiences of the past year have abundantly demonstrated that some very mean men are wearing the livery of heaven, professing to to be the mouthpicees of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our kindest thought respecting them is that the great adversary is blinding them, much as he did the great Saul of Tarsus. And our hope for them is that, like Saul, they will ere long be smitten down by a great light from heaven, and hear in. their consciences a voice saying, wey am Jesus, whom thou persecutest’’; and that then some of these rabi ad foes of the truth may become its staunch servants. OUR MOST SUCCESSFUL YEAR We are sure that our readers are awaiting this report with keen intcrest. Wonderful as it may seem, it is our privilege to report that the past year has been in every way our most successful one. The more the Lord permitted our enemies to assail us, the more did he strengthen and comfort our hearts with evidences of his favor. He demonstrated that he who is on our part is mightier than all that be against us. Tndeed, we have had various evidenees that the vicious attack of certain ministers has had an effect the very reverse of what they intended. The public have seen the adversary’s spirit manifested; and even worldly people know the difference between the Spirit of Christ—the spirit of meckness, the spirit of love—and the contrary spirit of Satan—the spirit of malice, hatred, envy, evil-speaking, strife. If God sees best to awaken some of his children to thought by the wolfish growling of some who pose as representatives of the Great Shepherd, it is not for us to question the divine wisdom, but to say with the Master, “‘The cup which my Father hath poured, shall I not drink it??? Nor is the Editor alone in these experiences. While he is the chief target, all identified with the work in a public way are also marks for those deseribed by the Psalmist: ‘‘The wieked .. . shoot their arrows, even bitter words, that they may shoot in secret at the perfect.’’? (Psalm 64:3, 4) Surely we may all rejoice in the privilege granted us of sharing in the sufferings of Christ. ‘‘For if we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him.’’ And if our sufferings be the way by which the Lord would attraet and bless others of his true sheep, we may surely, with the Apostle Paul, ‘‘glory in tribulations also.’’—Romans 5:3. CLASS EXTENSION WORK One of the most encouraging feetures of the work is the zeal manifested in various quarters in the Class Extension Work. Hundreds of dear brethren, backed by the classes with which they are associated, have gore forth as evangelists. They have held mectings in cities, towns and villages in the vicinity of the class home. They have broken a good deal of new ground in this way, have corrected misapprehension in respect to our Gospel message, and have brought a considerable number to full consecration to the Lord and to great joy and blessing in the knowledge of the truth. It is now two years since this work started; and this year, for your encouragement, we must give some figures. The friends in thirty states have joined in this work. The average number of speakers per month throughout the twelve months was 105; 3,050 meetings were reported, with an attendanee of 91,881. The cost of these mectings as reported hy the classes was $8,546.61. This amount docs not appear in our Report, except about 10 per cent. The classes rejoiced in the privilege of financing their mectings, and only in a few instances was the Society’s help needed. Of course, the Society furnished the literature used at these meetings, which with freight and expressage was no small item. We trust that this noble work will go on, and that the Lord’s blessing will continue with it. “We sometimes term it the ‘‘Layman’s Home Missionary Movement.’’? We observe that the classes participating in this work most vigorously are usually the most blessed of the Lord spiritually, as well as numerically. And undoubtedly all who thus serve as evangelists receive a great blessing in their hearts from the Lord. In the interests of those classes that feel that a repetition of the Class Extension Work would not be wise, or that feel that they have speakers or financial strength which they ean furnish for Sunday work at greater distances from their homes, we have reeently proposed an ‘‘ Auxiliary Pilgrim Service.’’ We trust that this may prove a means of blessing and furtherance of the work during the year just begun. 8 OUR CORRESPONDENCE DEPARTMENT With literature in thirty different languages, distributed in large quantities, it is not surprising that we have a large correspondence. Our Brooklyn office keeps thirty typewriters busy, besides our multigraph machines. Total Jetters received during the year........ 184,825 Total number of letters dispatched during the year ........ 0... eee eee eee 481,521 These figures do not represent the correspondence of the various branches, More and more the dear friends are learn [5365]

This website uses cookies to improve the website and your experience. By continuing to browse this website, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. If you require further information or do not wish to accept cookies when using this website, please visit our Global Policy on Use of Cookies and Similar Technologies .